Ishaal couldn't remember how she reached home.The whole drive back felt like a dream or maybe a warning she didn't want to hear.
Rayyan Raheel's voice still echoed in her head:
"You're already in my world."
She tried to laugh it off, but the sound died in her throat.His world.What did that even mean?
She sat on her bed, pulled her hair loose, and stared at her reflection in the mirror.Same face. Same eyes.But something had changed.Like a part of her had been claimed quietly, without permission.
She hated that thought.She hated that man.And yet... a part of her didn't.
Her phone buzzed, a message from the café manager.
"Tomorrow's shift confirmed. We're booked for the night show. Be early."
Work. Routine. Normal. That's what she needed.
Next night, the café was crowded. The kind of crowd that made her feel safe.. faces, lights, noise.Everything Rayyan's mansion didn't have.
She sang her first song, trying to focus on the lyrics, but her mind kept drifting.The way he looked at her. The calm in his tone.Why did she feel like he knew her better than she knew herself?
During her break, she went behind the counter for water.That's when she saw it.
A small black envelope, placed exactly where she kept her mic case.No name. No logo. Just plain black.
She opened it slowly.Inside, a single note, written in clean handwriting:
"Stay away from Rayyan Raheel.Before he decides you're next."
Her heart dropped.She looked around, no one seemed to notice her reaction.The crowd laughed, the band tuned their instruments, the manager yelled something at the waiter, normal chaos.
But Ishaal knew.Someone had been here. Someone who knew.
She folded the note quickly and slipped it into her pocket.Her fingers trembled slightly, but her expression stayed calm.
Because panic is what gets you noticed and Ishaal had learned long ago, in Raabistan, being noticed could get you killed.